Student Drowns In Galamsey Pit

The body of the deceased

A First year student, of Nkawkaw Senior High School (KAWSEC) in the Kwahu West Municipal, has drowned in a galamsey pit after storming a mining site to swim with some friends. 

The incident reportedly occurred at Kyenkyenku, near Akoasi in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region over the weekend. 

According to reports, the deceased Richard Akyaw went to the community to spend some holidays with his parents in the farming community but joined his friends to an old Sankara Galamsey site at Sakapiah to swim. 

He reportedly fell into the pit and got drowned. 

The Police later stormed the scene and with the help of some drivers, in the local community, they managed to retrieve the body from the abandoned pit. 

The lifeless body had since been conveyed to the Holy family hospital mortuary, Nkawkaw pending autopsy. 

Meanwhile, the Uncle of the deceased, Kofi Henaku, who is suspicious of the circumstances leading to the deceased death said, confirmed on Life Fm, an Nkawkaw base radio station that “the body didn’t look pale as it has always been the case of people who die through drowning”. 

According to him, when the body was retrieved there was blood oozing from some parts of the body including the nostrils, mouth, and ears giving rise to a suspicion that he may have been murdered and dumped in the pit. 

He added that the deceased also had a swollen neck with bruises on other parts of the body; a reason why the family believes he was murdered and dumped in the pit. 

He also accused the Police officers at Akoasi for trying to cover up for the owner of the abandoned pit and are therefore persuading them to allow him to foot the bills involved in the burial just to cut everything short. 

The owner of the pit namely Kelvin Essien, 39, have been arrested and detained whiles the complainant has also been called to report to also assist in investigations.

FROM Daniel Bampoe, Nkawkaw